The Lagos State Government has threatened to take legal action against an X user for allegedly sharing a misleading flood video and falsely linking it to the state.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a series of posts on X on Tuesday, stating that removing the post after it had been disproved would not exempt the user from possible legal consequences.
“Taking down the post after misleading the public does not absolve you of the responsibility. Appropriate legal action will still be pursued, and this matter will be taken to its logical conclusion in accordance with the law,” Wahab wrote.
The commissioner said the video posted by the user, identified as “Enugu Loudspeaker (#Jamessucre2),” was not recorded in Lagos.
“The flood video you shared and attributed to Lagos State is actually from Bangladesh. We kindly encourage you to verify the authenticity and origin of such content before sharing it, as the dissemination of inaccurate information can mislead the public and undermine genuine discussions about issues affecting Lagos,” he said.
Wahab acknowledged the importance of freedom of expression but stressed that such rights must be exercised with responsibility and within the limits of the law.
“While we acknowledge and respect everyone’s right to freedom of expression, it is important to recognize that every right comes with corresponding responsibilities and legal limits,” he said.
He added that “the deliberate dissemination of false information and misleading narratives not only undermines the efforts of the Lagos State Government but also diminishes the credibility of genuine complaints raised by well-meaning residents.”
Following the government’s clarification, the X user admitted that the video was not from Nigeria and deleted the post.
“It’s been confirmed to have happened outside the country. The post has been taken down,” the user wrote.
However, the Lagos State Government maintained that it would continue with legal action over the publication and spread of the false information.